IT’S NUTS: WHY BAKERY CHARGES $135 FOR THIS LOAF OF BREAD
You know it’s not your average bakery when they offer Afterpay. But thanks to Covid, healthy eating is now the gold standard for the Coast
IT’S the $135 loaf of bread that nearly spoiled my appetite.
I’d been tipped off that a shop in Mermaid Waters was selling baked goods at prices I can barely stomach for a fancy meal out.
I had to see it to believe it. Walking in to the Seeds of Life store at Q Centre, I was surprised to see averagelooking customers, no gold chains dripping from their necks, no Bentleys out front parked next to my Mitsubishi.
Still, you know it’s not your average bakery when they offer Afterpay.
Sure enough, there were indeed loaves of bread priced from a minimum of $29 right on up to that $135 Thor high protein loaf – which must literally be worth it’s weight in gold.
Although actually, that’s not true. This loaf was so heavy it could be classified as a weapon. And at a hefty 3kg, I’m assuming gold would win the battle of worth.
But to the loyal customers of this Gold Coast-grown business, that loaf is a product more valuable than any precious metal.
And given this plant-based bakery now operates at two locations, it seems more and more residents are willing to make that investment.
Personally, I don’t get it. But then, my diet largely consists of raw cookie dough, coffee and red wine. I consider
Our typical 1kg loaves are $30, while a 100g Mars Bar is about $3. When you break it down, they’re both three cents per gram.
$5 a splurge for a loaf of hi-lo white at Baker’s Delight. At an extra $130, I’d want that bread to cook my dinner too.
Still, given that cost of living expenses are spiralling out of control, I can’t believe that so many in our city can afford these luxury loaves.
But the proof is in the (dairy-free, gluten-free, organic, plant-based, whole food) pudding.
It seems that when it comes to the Coast, healthy is the new gold.
Besides, according to Seeds of Life owner Pete Wiltshire, spending is saving.
“Our typical 1kg loaves are $30, while a 100g Mars Bar is about $3. When you break it down, they’re both three cents per gram. It’s all a matter of how you want to spend your money,” he says.
“Don’t get me wrong, we get plenty of faces pulled when people walk in and see our prices. But you’re talking about a loaf of bread that lasts longer because you need less to fill you up.
“It is more than your average loaf because certified organic just is more expensive. But it’s a lifestyle choice that more people are choosing to make.”
And it seems the pandemic has been a trigger for many to make healthier choices.
Pete says Seeds of Life’s
online sales increased 300 per cent during the first 12 months of Covid, while local deliveries increased from one to three per week.
But he says even he has been surprised by the biggest demographic growth.
“Typically most of our customers have been females, and probably most of them middle-aged or more,” he says.
“But now we’re seeing a huge surge in young customers.
“It’s probably about
30 per cent of our customers now, and I’d say it’s on track for 40 per cent.
“Health is at the forefront of everyone’s mind and it’s something that’s ‘cool’ to do now. More and more young people are turning away from binge drinking and partying and getting in to exercising and clean eating.
“We don’t give health advice here, but a lot of health practitioners use our products and endorse us by referring their patients here. For some people it’s a choice, for others it’s a necessity – they might be coeliac or have allergies or intolerances. It’s all about providing options.”
Ironically situated across the street from a 24-hour Mcdonald’s, Pete says he can literally watch people choose to change their eating habits.
He says he sees parents spot his “organic to-go” sign while waiting in the fast food drive-through, and then park in front of his shop.
“It works out really well for us, actually,” he laughs. “People are just tired of eating crap.”
Given the sad dent that even a Happy Meal now makes in my wallet (at just under $9), it’s a point well worth considering.
But $135 for a loaf of bread? I still find it hard to swallow.